Digital Branch of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Oral History Program

Darlene Crawford

Darlene Crawford grew up in Seward, Alaska and moved to Seldovia in 1959. She worked at the Wakefield Cannery as an accountant in the 1960s, as the city clerk treasurer for six years, and at the Seldovia Native Association from 1975 until 2007. She also has served on the city council and as mayor, and operated a shop selling ceramics. Currently, she is chairman of the Seldovia Arts Council, is treasurer for Seldovia Bible Chapel, and runs a small wedding and event photography business (Seldovia Photography by Darlene Crawford). Darlene is married to John Crawford, who she met when he came to visit a friend going to school in Seward.

John and Darlene Crawford were interviewed on August 20, 2014 by Jan Yaeger at the Seldovia Conference Center in Seldovia, Alaska. In this interview, John and Darlene talk about life in Seldovia in the early days and the first cars in the community, and changes in the community after the 1964 Alaska Earthquake with the Urban Renewal Program and new construction. John also talks about establishment of the Seldovia Native Association (SNA) and the Seldovia Village Tribe. Darlene also talks about tourism and the future of the community. They both talk about the sense of community and what a nice place Seldovia is to raise a family.